A. Purpose Of Regulations: The regulations for commercial districts are designed to:
1. Provide areas in which business may be conducted, goods sold and distributed, services rendered, and such other activities related to the function of commercial development;
2. Fulfill the need for shopping areas that range in size and function from minor commercial centers to the central business district, the locations of which are delineated by the master plan;
3. Relate functional differences in the various types of commercial uses to the appropriate land use intensities and relationships; and
4. Ensure compatibility of the various commercial areas within the city infrastructure.
B. Districts Described: The individual commercial districts are described as follows: (Ord. 5916, 8-9-1999)
1. C-1 Local Commercial District: As a neighborhood center for convenience shopping, the C-1 district is designed to provide locations for the conduct of retail trade and personal service enterprises to meet the regular needs of nearby residential areas, as well as to permit some businesses which may also serve the entire city. Hours of operation are generally limited to daylight and early evening and activities associated with these uses generally occur entirely within the building, with limited outside storage of goods and materials. Local commercial uses shall typically generate low to medium vehicular and pedestrian traffic and produce minimal objectionable elements into the surrounding neighborhood. (Ord. 6145, 10-10-2011)
2. C-2 General Commercial District: The C-2 district is intended for the conduct of general business to which the public requires frequent and direct access, but which is not characterized by either constant heavy trucking other than stocking and delivery of retail goods, or by any nuisance factors other than occasioned by the congregating of people and passenger vehicles. It is encouraged that the compatible business enterprises concentrate to the mutual benefit of consumers and merchants.
3. CBD Central Business District: The CBD district is intended to provide a pedestrian oriented concentration of mixed uses allowing for a wide range of commercial, residential, office, and limited light industrial uses. There may be limited off street parking requirements. Convenience shopping and the stability of retail development are promoted by encouraging continuous retail frontage. It is intended for the downtown core to facilitate the adaptation of existing buildings to a more vital mixture of uses while conserving the exterior quality of and era of historic significance.
a. Legal Description: The legal description of this area is as follows: Donahoes Addition, Blocks 1, 26, 27, 28, and Block 25, Lots 1 through 5; Myatts Addition, Blocks 13, 14, 25, and 26; Townsite of Hartman, Block 32, Lots 11-20, Blocks 33-41, and Blocks 46-50; and, Townsite of Lynchville, Blocks 3-7. All of the above stated additions, blocks, and lots are contiguous and are located within the city limits of Ponca City, Kay County, Oklahoma.
b. Allowed Uses: See section 11-7-2, table 11-7-2.1, "Uses Permitted In Commercial Districts", of this chapter. (Ord. 5916, 8-9-1999; amd. 2003 Code)
C. Accessory Uses: The following uses are permitted, subject to review:
1. General accessory structures.
2. Accessory uses with specific regulations:
a. Fence:
(1) Stockade fencing, chainlink fencing with opaque materials inserted/woven between the fence material, and sightproof metal fencing are not permitted; however, stockade fencing and chainlink fencing with the insertions/weaving may be used for the screening of dumpsters.
b. Business signs and outdoor advertising signs may be erected in front of the building setback lines in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) One square foot of display surface area per each lineal foot of street frontage per floor is permitted; or a maximum of ten percent (10%) of the building facade square footage.
(2) Overhanging signs may extend over the public right of way to within two feet (2') of the curb line perpendicular, and must also be a minimum of nine feet (9') from the grade level.
D. Development Regulations:
1. Site Design Requirements:
a. Height: The maximum building height, including any structure on top of a building, shall not exceed sixty feet (60'); provided, the planning commission may approve a building height above sixty feet (60'), but not exceeding eighty feet (80'), if the proposed building is compatible with the scale, width and bulk of existing buildings located on the same block and across the street.
b. Yard Requirements: No yards required for front, side, or rear.
c. Parking Lots: Parking lots in the CBD shall be landscaped in accordance with the landscaping standards as set forth in section 11-14-3 of this title.
2. Outside Storage:
a. Material stored outside and visible from an abutting street shall be screened from the abutting street in accordance with subsection D2b of this section.
b. Dumpsters and other commercial waste collection receptacles shall be sightproof screened from view on all sides of the dumpsters. A building, fence, vegetation, or other form of screening shall satisfy this requirement.
E. Design Review Process: A certificate of approval from the Ponca City Main Street design committee shall be required prior to obtaining a building permit from the community development department to begin work on the following:
1. The construction of any new building, whether preengineered or site built.
2. The total or partial demolition of any (main) structure.
The design committee, when considering applications for a certificate of approval, shall base its decisions upon the design guidelines as contained below. An applicant may appeal the decision of the committee to the planning commission, which can affirm, reverse, or modify the decision. Any appeal shall be made in writing to the community development director within twenty (20) days following the decision by the design committee. Final appeals may be made to the mayor and board of commissioners.
F. General Design Guidelines: The following design guidelines are advisory and intended to serve as a reference for any person or entity contemplating the construction, renovation, remodel, or restoration of any building located within the CBD. The Ponca City Main Street design committee may provide technical assistance for any such work.
1. Setbacks for new buildings and additions to buildings should be in keeping with other buildings on the block; normally, new buildings should be located in the front and side property lines. Where new buildings are not situated on the front and/or side property lines, the setback area should be designed and landscaped so as to complement the existing facilities within the core area. The historic character and texture of the area is best served through the observance of platted building property lines.
2. Original building facades are an established and a critical characteristic of the CBD. New and renovated facades should enhance or complement this characteristic. The design and construction of new buildings should incorporate facade elements that are consistent with and otherwise enhance these same characteristics.
3. Buildings should have the appearance of a flat roof from the ground, and parapets should hide pitched roofs. Roofs with other appearance should be closely reviewed for the districts' architectural improvement and for design impact on the district and adjacent structures.
4. Window alignment and type should be compatible with adjacent buildings. During and after the restoration and renovation of window openings, the windows should be set in two inches (2") to three inches (3") from the facade front.
5. Original window, door, and freight bay door openings should be reestablished during renovations, on a story level by story level basis for those stories included within a building permit application, if these openings have been blocked in with wood, brick or other materials. Doors, windows and freight bay doors should not typically be blocked in with brick and panels. For example, one of the compatible styles of closure for freight bay doors would resemble a tongue and groove wooden warehouse door.
6. Existing brick surfaces should not be covered with paint, wood, plastic, metal, or other materials. This shall not apply to historic signage, as these may be restored with paint. The preferred method of signage of buildings is the attached sign mounted on the building.
7. The removal of paint from a facade should utilize a method which is known not to damage the brick, brick glazing, or stucco. Sandblasting would not generally be considered an appropriate method of paint removal for brick surfaces.
8. Facades should be designed or renovated with a design that is compatible with the older and historic buildings common to the area. Facade designs to be discouraged include those characterized by mirrored glass; panel walls made of glass, plastic or metal; smooth steel or smooth composite walls; or prefabricated tilt up concrete walls. Historic building ornamentation should not be removed or covered.
9. A building recognized locally or nationally for its architectural or historical significance should not be demolished unless there is no reasonable economic alternative.
10. Rooftop accessory and rooftop nonaccessory signs may be appropriate if designed as a landmark that conveys a message or logo enhancing the identity of the district.
11. Nonaccessory signs serving as local directional signs for patrons of the CBD may be utilized on a limited basis, such as two (2) per geographic block. The display surface should not exceed twelve (12) square feet per sign. Styles of lettering commonly used around the 1920s are recommended. Wall and ground signs constructed of wood and/or metal are preferred.
12. Sightproof screening may include natural or manmade materials and the design should yield a screen that is durable. When the material used is not vegetation, brick or stone, the surface should be painted or otherwise coated in a uniform color.
13. Street frontages of parking lots are highly visible and the lot boundaries can be designed to create security, a pleasant environment, and an obscured view of both debris and parked vehicles. The addition of landscaping can provide beneficial microclimatic effects. (Ord. 5992, 10-27-2003)